Sleeping-car



H. D. WILSON.-

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-15. 19w.

Patented June 8, 1920.

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H. D. WILSON.

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 15, 1917.

Patented June 8, 1920.

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H. D. WILSON.

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 15. 1917.

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3 SHEETSSHEET 3' Patented June 8; 1920.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON D. WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SLEEPING-CAR.

AppIication filed December 15, 1917.

i a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to cars which are adaptable for day or night passenger service, and to this end are provided with seats so arranged that portions of the seats may be adjusted and the section in which the seats are located may be converted into sleeping compartments.

An object of the invention is to provide in connection with each sleeping compartment, an individual room, for dressing, washing or other use, which is accessible from the sleeping compartment without entering a public passageway.

. Another object of the invention is to conveniently locate the dressing compartment adjacent the sleeping compartment so that the sleeping compartment and its dressing room communicate directly with one another.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in place and available at all times for convenient accessto or egress from the upper sleeping compartment and to provide private entrances to the sleeping com partments which will permit complete closure of the side. of the sleeping compartment neXt the aisle of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide individual dressing compartments in connection with a convertible chair and sleeper car, the said individual compartment being arranged to be connected with the collapsible sleeping compartment so as not interfere with the present used or other system whereby the chair section is converted into a sleeper section.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of separate compartments between each seat section.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 207,234.

vide a construction wherein the collapsible end wall of the sleeping section serves as a side wall of the individual dressing room and in which other parts of the dressing room are capable of being folded up and stored away in compartments usually provided for the accommodation of sleeper parts of the car when it is converted into a chair car.

Another object of the invention is to pro-' vide reversible or interchangeable parts which may be adjusted so that access may be had to the sleeping compartments from either end as desired.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a construction whereby individual dressing compartments may be had in connection with each sleeping compartment without sacrificing needless space in the car and without appreciably reducing the number of sleeping compartments or the seating capacity of the car.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosure in the drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of a convertible chair and sleeper car provided with my improved construction, the said section being taken immediately below the roof of the car.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the seating sections and the adjoining individual dressing room compartments, looking at the same substantially as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the car taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking as indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the sleeping compartment and adjoining dressing room ready for use as they appear from the aisle of the car.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewin perspective'showingthe connection of the removable partition with the upper edge of the seat back.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the connection of the removable partition with the permanent partition between the adjoining dressing rooms.

Fig. 8 shows the lock for fastening th removable partitions in place.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the lock on the line 9-9 ofFig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the curtain fastener, and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the curtain fastener on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

As shown on the drawings:

1, is the body of a railway car of usual construction for carrying passengers, the running gear and part of the car body being omitted as they form no part of this invention. At each side of the car are arranged a series of facing seats 2, which are adapted to be combined with other parts and adjusted so as to provide a pair of sleeping compartments one above the other,

ordinarily known as the upper and lower berths. This is usually accomplished by making the seat and back cushions 3 and A, respectively, of the chair movable so that the seat cushions 3, may be moved together to meet, and the back cushions 4, may be slid down into a horizontal position behind the seat cushion so as to form a continuous surface, from the back frames 5, of the facing seats, upon which surface the bedding is placed for the lower berth. Removable partition sections 6 and 7, are mounted on the back frames 5, of the seats so as to inclose the seat section at the forward and rear ends and a hinged panel 8, which is normally folded up against the top of the car is drawn down to a horizontal position intermediate of the partitions 6 and 7, the said panel being of a length equal to the distance between said partitions, and of a width equal to the width thereof, which panel when folded down forms'the bottom of the upper com-- partment or berth.

In the preferred form of my invention, I space the seat sections asuitable distance apart to provide an intermediate space for a pair of adjoining dressing rooms 9 and 10, which are separated by a permanent partition 11, extending transversely from the side wall of the car to the aisle and reaching from the floor approximately as high as the backs of the seats. A removable portion 12, similar to the partitions 6 and 7, is provided for mounting on the upper edge of the fixed partition 11, to completely separate the dressing rooms. For the purpose of providing access to the lower compartment, the back frames of the seats are provided near the aisle with a removable section 13, which is movable in vertical 'guideways 1-1, whereby it may be held in position or withdrawn as desired, or this removable section may be otherwise constructed so that it may be placed in position or removed when desired.

One of the partitions 6, which is adapted to be mounted above the back frame of the seat, is provided with a matching opening 15, extending up to a point that is immediately below the position occupied by the panel 8, in its lowered position, the said opening 15, together with the opening 16, from which the section 13, may be removed, being designed to provide a passageway from the dressing compartment to the lower sleeping compartment. The other partition 7, which is adapted to be mounted on the back of the seat opposite from that upon which the partition 6, is mounted, is not provided with an opening 15, but has an opening 17, near the aisle side thereof, which is adapted when the partition is in position, to be directly above the panel 8, so thatentrance may be had from the dressing room to the sleeping compartment above the panel 8.

For the purpose of providing convenient access to the upper berth, a ladder 18, which may be collapsible or otherwise constructed is provided having hooked upper ends 19, to engage over the lower edge of the opening 17, of the partition 7, so that the ladder may be secured in position, or the ladder may be otherwise mounted on the. said partition and held in position to provide access from the dressing room to the upper sleeping compartment or from the sleeping compartment to the dressing room. I

It is customary in car construction to provide a swinging cushioned head rest 19 near the top of the back of the seat which when the chair compartment is converted into a sleeping compartment is folded up and held'as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a shelf for clothes or other articles.

In my construction this head rest is constructed so that it may be either turned up to this position or may be entirely removed, if desired, this provision being made so that the head rest may be removed, so as not to obstruct the opening 15-16 from the lower sleeping compartment to .the adjoining dressing room.

The dressing rooms may be provided with any desired. equipment and in the present instanceare shown as they may be equipped for wash room and dressing room. A wash bowl 20, is mounted in each dressing'room next to the outer wall of the car and may have a window 21, above the wash bowl to provide light to the dressing room. A seat 22, is also provided in each dressingroom in front of'the bowl, which seat may be hinged as at 23, to the partition 11, or otherwise supported so that it may be folded up out of the way when notrequired. As a further convenience, there may be a cover 24, for each bowl, hinged so that it may be turned up and out of the way when it is desired to use the bow1,fand may be laid down in position on top of the bowl to serve as a table or writing desk when it is desired.

The usual curtains may be provided for closing the sides of the sleeping compartment next to the aisle of the car if desired, but I prefer to employ a single curtain 25, which is secured in position by fasteners 26, and not adapted to be opened as it is unnecessary with this construction to provide access directly from the sleeping compartment to the aisle of the car as access is had to the sleeping compartments through the dressing rooms.

The aisle side of the dressing room is closed by means of the curtain 27, which is looped onto the curtain pole 28, mounted in sockets 29, and may be readily pushed aside for entrance to the dressing room.

The partitions 6, 7 and 12, may be mounted on the seat backs 5, and partition 11, in any suitable manner so that they are held securely. F or example, the upper edge of the seat backs and partition 11, maybe formed with a bead 30, and the partitions with a corresponding groove 31, to admit the bead therein, and a spring latch 32, may be provided on the partitions to engage a socket 33, in the upper edge of the seat back 5, or partition 11, to hold the partitions securely in position and permit ready removal.

The usual washrooms are dispensed with in this construction and only small toilet rooms provided at each end of the car as indicated at 34, and 35, and this renders it possible to provide very nearly the same seating and sleeping capacity in this type of car with individual dressing rooms as in the present style with the general dressing room.

The operation is as follows:

Let us assume that the car is in condition for day service, that is the seatsare in position and the parts forming the sleeping compartment are folded up and stored out of the way. lVhen the car is in this condition, the partitions 12,may remain in place or ,be removed as desired. To convert the seating section into sleeping compartments, seat cushions 3, of opposite seats are slid together until. they meet as shown in Fig. 3, and the back cushions 1, are dropped down onto the teat bottom as shown, behind the seat cushions 3, so as to provide a surface extending between the back frames 5, of the opposite seats, whereon the bed of the occupant is made.

It is desirable that the head of the sleeping individual shall be toward the front of the moving car, and for this reason, the partitions 6, and 7, are made interchangeable. Assuming that the right hand end of Fig. 3, is the front of the car, the partition 7, having the opening for the upper berth, is mounted on the back of the seat, nearest the front of the car, and the partition 6, having the opening for the lower berth is placed on the back of the seat, nearest the back of the car. Previous to the placing of the partition 6, in position, the removable section 13, is withdrawn from the back of the seat so that when the partition 6, is in position, a large passageway 15-16, is proided from the dressing compartment to the lower sleeping compartment. These partitions 6 and 7, when placed in position complete the inclosure of the dressing rooms adjoining this seat section with the exception of the sides thereof facing the aisle which are closed by the curtain 27, sliding on a pole 28, or other suitable means. The head rest 19, toward the front of the car is then folded up in the position shown in F 3, and the head rest at the opposite end of the sleeping compartment may be partially or entirely removed so as not to obstruct the passageway from the sleeping compartment to the dressing room. The panel 8, is then pulled down to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the bed of the occupant of the upper compartment is made upon this panel. The opening 17, in the partition 7, is just above the panel 8, so that the occupant can pass through the opening to the bed, and the removable ladder 18, is mounted in position by engaging the hooks at the upper end thereof with the lower edge of the opening 17. The curtain 25, is then placed in position at the aisle side of the sleeping compartment and attached by means of the fasteners 26.

It will be noted that on account of the dressing room being located one at the forward end and one at the rear end of the sleeping compartment, it will be necessary for one occupant to enter the sleeping compartment from the rear end thereof and the other occupant to enter the sleeping compartment from the front end thereof.

The construction which I have provided permits of the reverse arrangement, but it is preferable to provide entrance to the lower sleeping compartment at the foot thereof, and I have therefore shown this arrangement. It is then necessary for the occupant of the upper sleeping compartment to enter at the head or forward end of the upper sleeping compartment, and to conveniently permit such access, a removable head. rest 3 1 is provided which may be pivoted to move down as shown, or otherwise constructed so that it may be moved from the opening 17, to permit the occupant to pass readily therethrough. hen folded back in the position shown in Fig. 3, it forms a support for the pillow.

1V hile I have shown and described a preferred form embodying my invention, 1 am aware that numerous changes may be made therein and I therefore do not limit myself to this specific construction but contemplate such modifications and changes as are within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a collapsible seat section, removable means for converting the seat section into a sleeper section having an upper and a lower berth, and an auxiliary compartment at each end of the said seat section and removable partitions intermediate of the said seat sections and the said auxiliary compartment, removable panels in the backs of said seat sections, one of said removable partitions being provided with a lower. opening communicating with the opening in one of the backs of the seat section when one of the panels is removed to afford access to the lower berth and one of the adjoining auXil-' iary compartments and the other of said partitions being provided with an upper opening communicating with the upper berth and the other of said auxiliary compartments.

2. Ina convertible chair and sleeping car, the combination of a plurality of seat sec tions, spaced apart and arranged at one side of the car, a partition intermediate of the said seat sections dividing the intervening space into two compartments, a removable partition at each end of the seat sections, separating the seat section from the adjoining compartment, means for forming an upper and lower berth in the said seat section, means slidably mounted in the backs of the seat section adapted when removed to provide access from the lower berth to one of said adjoining compartments, and means for providing access from the upper berth to the other of said adjoining compartments.

3. In a car adapted to be converted from a chair car to a sleeper car, the combination I of a plurality of spaced seat sections at one side of the car, a partition dividing the intervening space between the sections into two compartments, means for converting the chair section into an upper and lower berth, partitions for separating the seat sections from the adjoining compartment, and a removable member slidably mounted in the back of each of the seat sections adapted to beremo'ved to provide access from the lower berth to the adjoining compartment.

4. In a convertible chair and sleeper car, the combination of a plurality of spaced seat sections, a removable panel in one of said seat sections, a partition dividing the intervening space between the seat sections into two dressing compartments, means for converting the seat compartment into an upper and a lower berth, and interchangeable partitions adapted to be mounted at either end of the said seat section for separating the said section from the adjoining dressing room, one of said partitions being provided with a lower opening adapted to register with an opening in said seat sections when the panel is removed therefrom to provide access from the lower berth to an adjoining compartment, and the other of said partitions being provided with an upper opening adapted to provide access from the upper berth to the other of said adjoining com partments. I

5. In a convertible chair and sleeper car, the combination of a plurality of spaced seat sections at one side of the car,a partition intermediate of the said spaced seat sections for dividing the intervening space into two compartments, means for converting the seat section into an upper and a lower berth, a partition at each end of the seat sections separating the said seat section from the adjoining compartment, said partitions being provided with openings therein providing access from the lower berth to one of the adjoining compartments and providing access from the upper berth to the other of the said adjoining compartments, a removable part at one end of the seat section adapted to provide an opening to register with the opening through the said partition, and provide access from the lower berth to the adjoining compartment, and a movable head support in the upper berth adjacent the said opening thereto in the partition thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. i

HARRISON D. WILSON.

Witnesses:

EARL M. HARDINE, CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr. 

